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I will be remodeling my laundry room shortly and will be getting a front
loading washer. Given the condition of my back, I am thinking about putting
it (and the dryer) on a base cabinet to raise it up around 14-16 inches. I
can easily make the base to match my other cabinets.

Do I need any special design considerations for the base or its top? I
imagine the appliances would want to walk some, so a lip would be in order
and the dang things are heavy, but I normally build beefy. I am thinking of
a tiled top for the cabinet... Any info/experience would be appreciated.

On 7/2/2011 7:09 PM, RimaNeas wrote:
eed any special design considerations for the base or its top? I
imagine the appliances would want to walk some, so a lip would be in order
and the dang things are heavy, but I normally build beefy. I am thinking of
a tiled top for the cabinet... Any info/experience would be appreciated.

Cheers, Shawn

This is just my opinion but it seems that it would have to be quite
solid and fasten to the wall. Have you ever seen a washer walking
across the floor when things get out of balance?

On Jul 2, 7:09*pm, "RimaNeas" wrote:
I will be remodeling my laundry room shortly and will be getting a front
loading washer. *Given the condition of my back, I am thinking about putting
it (and the dryer) on a base cabinet to raise it up around 14-16 inches. *I
can easily make the base to match my other cabinets.

Do I need any special design considerations for the base or its top? *I
imagine the appliances would want to walk some, so a lip would be in order
and the dang things are heavy, but I normally build beefy. *I am thinking of
a tiled top for the cabinet... *Any info/experience would be appreciated.

A number of the front load washer manufacturers make pedestals for
just such a situation, and you should investigate that route before
committing time and money into building one. They're not cheap, but
if you keep an eye on eBay and Craigslist you could probably scoop one
up for a reasonable amount. A drawer in the store-bought pedestal
base is a major benefit, and the pedestals usually bolt to the
underside of the machine so there's little danger of the thing walking
off.

"RimaNeas" wrote in message
...
I will be remodeling my laundry room shortly and will be getting a front
loading washer. Given the condition of my back, I am thinking about
putting it (and the dryer) on a base cabinet to raise it up around 14-16
inches. I can easily make the base to match my other cabinets.

Do I need any special design considerations for the base or its top? I
imagine the appliances would want to walk some, so a lip would be in order
and the dang things are heavy, but I normally build beefy. I am thinking
of a tiled top for the cabinet... Any info/experience would be
appreciated.

Cheers, Shawn

They do walk sometimes and a 1" lip would be good
tiled top would not be any good as if the machined decided to take a trip
somewhere, the movement would crack the tiles.
I built one out of 14 ply 12" high and cut the corners out of the top piece
for more stability for the feet of the machine.
You could go over the top and put a drawer in it for the washing liquid etc.
I only went 12" high because of the dryer on top of the washer.

I recently built one. 2x4 construction for the frame screwed to the
wall, with oak plywood on the sides and OSB for the platform painted
the same color as the walls. The oak matches the trim in the house
and was left over from another project. Total cost less than $20 and
looks a whole laot better than the $250 for the store bought ones. I
got the washer up by tilting it side to side while my wife put a 2x4
under the high side. Tepeat ten times. I put a lip on top but the LG
washer has dynamic balancing and does not move

On Sat, 2 Jul 2011 15:09:20 -0800, "RimaNeas"
wrote:
I will be remodeling my laundry room shortly and will be getting a front
loading washer. Given the condition of my back, I am thinking about putting
it (and the dryer) on a base cabinet to raise it up around 14-16 inches. I
can easily make the base to match my other cabinets.

Do I need any special design considerations for the base or its top? I
imagine the appliances would want to walk some, so a lip would be in order
and the dang things are heavy, but I normally build beefy. I am thinking of
a tiled top for the cabinet... Any info/experience would be appreciated.

On Sat, 2 Jul 2011 15:09:20 -0800, "RimaNeas" wrote:
I will be remodeling my laundry room shortly and will be getting a front
loading washer. Given the condition of my back, I am thinking about putting
it (and the dryer) on a base cabinet to raise it up around 14-16 inches. I
can easily make the base to match my other cabinets.

Do I need any special design considerations for the base or its top? I
imagine the appliances would want to walk some, so a lip would be in order
and the dang things are heavy, but I normally build beefy. I am thinking of
a tiled top for the cabinet... Any info/experience would be appreciated.

I'd think the vibrations of the washer's spin cycle would be pretty tough on
glue joints, not to mention the problems with exposure to water.

I recently built one. *2x4 construction for the frame screwed to the
wall, with oak plywood on the sides and OSB for the platform painted
the same color as the walls. *The oak matches the trim in the house
and was left over from another project. *Total cost less than $20 and
looks a whole laot better than the $250 for the store bought ones. *I
got the washer up by tilting it side to side while my wife put a 2x4
under the high side. *Tepeat ten times. *I put a lip on top but the LG
washer has dynamic balancing and does not move

$250? Maybe if you're paying full MSRP. Check the completed auctions
on eBay. You can get one for well less than half that if you are
patient. Factor in time, the fact that you have to take the machine
off of your platform to service it, whereas the bolted on pedestal
moves with the machine, the painted steel pedestal is less susceptible
to water damage, etc. I would think that the pedestal designed by the
manufacturer to go with the washer would match the machine perfectly,
so I'm not sure how a homemade one could look better. Not trying to
rain on your parade, just offering the OP different opinions.

I will be remodeling my laundry room shortly and will be getting a front
loading washer. Given the condition of my back, I am thinking about putting
it (and the dryer) on a base cabinet to raise it up around 14-16 inches. I
can easily make the base to match my other cabinets.

Do I need any special design considerations for the base or its top? I
imagine the appliances would want to walk some, so a lip would be in order
and the dang things are heavy, but I normally build beefy. I am thinking of
a tiled top for the cabinet... Any info/experience would be appreciated.

Cheers, Shawn

-----------------------

Save your money and time, each wash. Get an old fashioned top load and have
some actual storage cabinets above it on the wall.

With a top-load washer your clothes will actually get clean in less than
four hours of waiting without detergent residue to irritate your skin. If
you want to save water get a suds saver machine. The fad is fading, from
poor user experience, just as it did back in the 50s and 60sm before, due
too many problems that haven`t been fixed yet. It`s all hype no matter what
the sales con-artists are telling the wallets. I have experienced a few very
expensive machines.

A number of the front load washer manufacturers make pedestals for
just such a situation, and you should investigate that route before
committing time and money into building one. They're not cheap, but
if you keep an eye on eBay and Craigslist you could probably scoop one
up for a reasonable amount. A drawer in the store-bought pedestal
base is a major benefit, and the pedestals usually bolt to the
underside of the machine so there's little danger of the thing walking
off.

R

A word of caution: Not all pedestals can be mounted to all machines
easily. They intentionally change mounting patterns and the like to keep
this from happening.

We mounted one on the dryer with a help of a couple of drills and sheet
metal screws. It just took a little work.

1. Overbuild. A washer full of water is VERY heavy. Use screws, glue, and
metal bracing.

2. Plan on a pull-out drawer in the base to store stuff.

Oh too funny... I had not even thought about the weight of water!! Lets
see, a 4 cf washer can hold .11 cubic meter of water which comes in at
another 220Lb... and if the dryer is full of wet heavy clothes. Yep, that's
heavy. Thanks for pointing that out.